National Basketball Association

Bell returning to Jazz for $10M

Published Jul. 15, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Utah Jazz are bringing back Raja Bell.

Agent Herb Rudoy said Bell and the Jazz agreed to a three-year deal worth around $10 million. The 33-year-old shooting guard just needs to pass a physical, which probably won't happen until next week.

Rudoy said Bell is thrilled to be coming back to Utah, where his career took off during two seasons with the Jazz between 2003 and 2005. He was a favorite with both the fans and coach Jerry Sloan because of his defense.

''He loved playing for Jerry. He loved living in Salt Lake,'' Rudoy said Thursday. ''It was an easy decision for him to come back.''

The Jazz would not confirm the details on Thursday, but CEO Greg Miller told reporters Wednesday he was excited to have Bell on his way back. Miller was speaking at the Salt Lake City International Airport, where he was greeting new forward/center Al Jefferson, picked up in a trade with Minnesota this week.

Jefferson was scheduled to appear at a news conference Thursday afternoon.

The return of Bell indicates the Jazz won't be matching Portland's front-loaded offer for restricted free agent Wesley Matthews, who made Utah's roster in training camp as an undrafted free agent and was a starter before the end of his rookie season.

Bell is a career 41 percent 3-point shooter who has averaged more than 10 points per game while playing for six different teams. He spent last season with Charlotte and Golden State, but played in just six games because of left wrist surgery.

The Jazz needed a shooter after free agent Kyle Korver signed last week with the Chicago Bulls, who had also just signed power forward Carlos Boozer. Utah replaced Boozer with the bigger, younger Jefferson and the Jazz will have shooters in Bell, first-round draft pick Gordon Hayward and C.J. Miles.